Machine for printing musical notation



Dec. 29, 1942. v H. SCHULER 2,306,905

MACHINE FOR PRINTING MUSICAL NOTATION Filed July 5, 1940 y, 2 I w'zzi'orngys MACHINE FOR rnmme MUSICAL NOTATION H'ugo Schiller,Siegmar-Schonau, Germany; vested in the Allen Property CustodianApplication July 5, 1940, Serial No. 344,168

In Germany August 1, 1

1 Claim.

This invention relates to types for printing oblique bars, connectingstrokes or the like in machines for printing musical notation, in whichthe sheets to be printed are movable in horizontal and in verticaldirection by steps of determined length.

In printing musical notation it is frequently necessary to connectgroups of eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second, or sixty-fourth notes bybars or strokes known as hooks which extend from the free ends of thestems of the notes and are inclined upwardly or downwardly according tothe positions of the notes in the group. In music printing machinesspecial types are provided for reproducing such hooks, which types printthe several sections of the oblique bars or strokes forming said hooks.To enable longer hooks to be printed by these type it is necessary tocombine the individual hook sections, and the printing sheet after theprinting of one hook section has to be advanced one step horizontallyand also shifted a certain amount in the vertical direction so that theimprints of the hook sections connect up with each other to formcontinuous strokes. In known music printing machines, after eachprinting of a hook section two shift operations are required. Also inthe known note printing machines narrow limits are imposed on theinclination of the hooks which is determined by the ratio of thehorizontal shift step length to that of the vertical shift step.

The object of the present invention is to simplify the printing ofcontinuous connecting hooks and particularly to allow the rapid andreliable printing of slightly inclined hooks, connecting strokes, andthe like. According to the present invention two hook characters eachextending over one horizontal step and having a slop corresponding toone half of a vertical step are arranged on two type heads and sodisplaced from each other that upon directly succeeding single printingsby these type heads a continuous coherent hook stroke is printedextending over two horizontal steps and one vertical step. In the samemusic printing machine also hook printing types may be provided forprinting hooks or grouping lines of steeper inclination determinedby'one horizontal and one vertical shift step.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying drawing in which;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing different hooks printed by saidcharacters, and

Fig. 4 is a face view of the type heads.

In the embodiment illustrated, the paper carriage l of a musicalnotation printing machine has a paper roller' or platen 2 rotatablymounted therein. The sheet 3 to be printed upon can be placed inconventional manner around the roller 2. The paper carriage I with theroller 2 and sheet 3 are shifted along horizontally during printing inthe direction of the arrow 4 which can be'effected by a mechanism notshown such as a carriage shift mechanism as used in typewriters, whichmechanism is operated by the printing keys or a space key. The shiftsteps are of equal length, this length depending upon the pitch of theteeth of the escapement wheel of the paper carriage shift mechanism.

To adjust the sheet 3 to the desired elevation at which the variousnotes of the musical notation are to be printed there is used a verticalstep shift mechanism. This vertical step shift mechanism comprises inthe example a shift lever 6 provided with a handle 8 and which ispivotally mounted at I on the paper carriage l and is jointed to an arm9 having a pointer Ill. The pointer ID of the arm 9 cooperates with ascale II on which division marks are provided indicating the differentnote levels. At the other end of the bell crank shift lever 6 there isjointed a connecting rod I! connected to a toothed segment l3 fixed onthe shaft 2a of the paper roller. A spring pawl 14 engages the teeth ofthe segment l3 and serves to hold the segment in adjusted position,which position can be read at any time on the scale II. On clockwiserocking of the shift lever 6 about its axis 1 from the middle positionshown in Fig. 1, the pointer Ill moves to the left along the scale I land the connecting rod l2 and segment I3 move in the direction of thearrow 15. On rocking the lever 6 in counter-clockwise direction thepointer III will move to the right over the scale I I and the connectingrod I2 and segment l3 will move in the direction of the arrow By meansof this vertical shift mechanism the various note characters are printedin the desired position with respect to the stafi lines of they system.The teeth of the segment I3 and the divisions on the scale ii are soarranged'that one tooth pitch corresponds to one-half the spacingbetween two stafl lines l1 so that the notes can be printed in any pitchposition, that is either upon the staff lines H or ledger lines, orbetween the staff lines H or ledger lines.

Figure 2 shows such a stave with the flve stafl lines H on a largerscale. The intermediate positions between the staff lines i1 are shownby horizontal chain dotted lines l8. The elevation of one vertical stepcorresponding to the space between lines l1 and 8 is designated t. Thebeginning and end of each horizontal shift step is shown by a verticalchain dotted line. The distance between two of these lines succeedingone another is equivalent to a horizontal shift step the length of whichis designated 3.

In order to print inclined hooks, connecting lines, or the like, thepresent invention provides type heads 35, 38, 31, 38 with hookcharacters i3, 28' and 2|, 22' (Fig. 4) which extend over one horizontalshift step s and one half of a vertical shift step it. These type headsmake impressions |9,'2l|, 2|, 22 as shown in Fig. 2; the characters I9,sloping upwards from left to right and the characters 2|, 22 slopingdownwards from left to right. The hook characters i9, 20' and 2|, 22'are each arranged on two type heads 35, 38 and 31, 38 and displaced fromeach other by half of a Vertical step t in such a manner that upondirect successive printing of two of these characters the hook lines 21,28 are printed extending over two horizontal steps s and one verticalstep t. In this printing of the characters 21, 28 it is not necessary tooperate the vertical shift mechanism of the machine between the twoprintings required to complete the hook structure.

In the same way as the grouping lines 21 and 28 are printed bysuccessive operation of the types I9, 28' and 2|, 22, the grouping lines29 and 30 are printed by successive operation of the types 23', 24 and25', 26'.

Other hook characters 23, 24 and 25, 26 are provided corresponding ininclination to the hook characters |922, which consist not of one strokelike the hook characters iii-22, but of two strokes spaced verticallyfrom each other, for instance, by the distance it, said strokesextending parallel to each other. The hook characters 2326 are of thesame length as the hook characters |9-22. The hook characters |922 canbe used to print the hook strokes for groups of one-eighth notes, andthe hook characters 2328' for printing the hook strokes of groups ofonesixteenth notes. Hook strokes for groups of thirty-second notes andsixty-fourth notes can be printed by repeated printing of the hookcharacters |9'-22 or 23'--28, above or below each other. Long slightlyinclined hook strokes can thus be quickly, easily and reliably printedby a means of the present invention. Preferably the characters i9, 28';2|, 22'; 23', 24; 25', 26' which produce a continued coherent hookstroke in successive printings are arranged on two type heads 35, 28;31, 38; 35, 36; 31, 33 respectively actuated by adjacent keys in the keyboard of the machine. Thereby the rapidity with which the hook strokescan be printed is substantially increased. The characters l9 and 23', 20and 23, 2| and 25 and 22 and 26' can be arranged if desired on a singletype head 35, 36, 31, 38 respectively whereby the characters of such apair can be printed in different shifts of the machine.

To print slightly inclined hook strokes and the like it is possibleinstead of providing a pair of associated hook characters whoseimpressions become joined to arrange three or more such hook characterson three or more type heads. Thus for example three hook characters eachextending over one-third of a vertical shift step and over onehorizontal shift step and displaced from each other by one-third of avertical step, can be arranged directly in sequence. The result ofprinting all three characters is then a hook stroke which extends overthree horizontal shift steps and over a single vertical step.

From the foregoing it is clear that the invention makes it possible forhook stroke or connection line inclinations of any desired slope to beprinted directly, by suitably selecting the inclination and number ofthe individual hook characters and their appropriate displaced positionon the type heads.

The musical notation printing machine according to the present inventionmay be provided not only with the hook characters l9--28 but also withfurther hook characters 3|'-32' which ex tend over one horizontal shiftstep 8 and one vertical shiftstep-t. These hook characters 3|, 32'enable connected lines and hook strokes of greater inclination to beprinted. The printing of corresponding double lines running parallel toeach other and spaced by one vertical step is facilitated by providinghook characters 33, 38'. The hook characters 3|, 33 and 32', 33'producing the impressions 3|, 33, 32, 33 are preferably arranged inpairs on the same type head 39, 48 so that the characters 3|, 32 areprinted in one shift position, and the characters 33, 33 in anothershift position of the machine. However, they can also be arranged ondifferent type heads.

The hook characters iii-26 and 30-33 shown in Figure 2 are adjusted withthe middle staff line of a stave in printing position on the paperroller, the half of the spacing of the staff lines corresponding to thestep t. This means that in the given position of the stave the hookcharacters start from the said middle line or are printed at adetermined vertical distance from this middle line. By turning the paperroller 2 by means of the vertical shift lever B, 8, with the resultof-shifting the staff lines to different positions, relatively to theprinting place of the types, which positions can be read on the scaleIi, it is made possible to print the hook characters at differentvertical positions with respect to the lines ll of the stave.

Fig. 3 shows different hook strokes printed by means of the various hookcharacters described. First there is a continuous hook stroke 3| ofrelatively steep inclination. This is printed by first setting the hookcharacter 3| in the desired initial position, which is effected bysuitable actuation of the lever 6, 8 and observation of the scale ii,and causing it to make an impression, whereby the paper carriage andpaper sheet 3 is advanced one horizontal step 3 in the direction of thearrow 4. The pointer I8 is then shifted by means of the lever B, 8through one step t to the right, Fig. 1, whereby the paper roller 2 isrotated by one vertical shift step t, whereafter the hook character 3|is printed again, and the whole operation is thereafter repeated untilthe upwardly inclined hook stroke has attained its desired length.

The hook stroke 21 of lesser inclination shown in Fig. 3 is produced inthe following manner.

After suitable setting of the vertical shift mechanism, in the exampleto the lowest staff line H, the hook character I9 and then the hookcharacter 20 are printed. On striking the key for the hook character l9the paper carriage moves to the left by one horizontal shift step and onsubsequent striking of the key for the hook character 20 the strokeprinted thereby joins itself directly to the impression of the characteri9 owing to the displaced arrangement of the two characters on theirtype heads, thus forming a continuous coherent stroke. Between theprinting of the two characters l9 and 20 it is not necessary to operatethe vertical shift means of the machine. It is only when both charactersI9, 20 are printed that the paper roll must be shifted a vertical step tby corresponding operation of the operating lever B, 8 in order that thenext hook character l9 may make its imprint join up with the end of thelast printed hook stroke 20. After printing of this next hook characterI9, the character 20 can be printed to join up without further actuationof the vertical shift means. Subsequently another rotation of the paperroll through one vertical shift step t must take place, and so on, untilthe hook stroke has attained the desired length. Since according to theinvention the vertical shift means, in printing slightly inclinedstrokes, has to be actuated only after each second printing, theinvention makes it possible to dispense with one-half of the previouslyrequired vertical shift operations so that the work of the notationprinting machine is much more rapid.

At the right hand end of Fig. 3 there is shown how the slightly inclinedstrokes can be used for connecting a group of notes consisting of adotted eighth note and a sixteenth note. In this printing the hookstroke 21 is first joined to the free ends of the stems of the notes byprinting the two characters I9, 20 and thereafter the character 20 isagain printed at a spacing of, for instance, one vertical step below thefirst printed character 20. It .is also possible to join the hook strokel9 to the free end of the first note stem and, then, to print thecharacter 24 in such a manner that the upper of the two strokes of thecharacter 24 forms a continuation of the first printed stroke I9.

On the paper sheet 3 shown mounted on the paper roller 2 in Fig. 1 thereare shown printings which can be performed by means of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

In a machine for printing musical notation on writing paper incorrespondence with equally spaced staff lines, means for shifting thewriting paper in the direction of the staff lines in horizontal steps ofpredetermined length, means for shifting the writing paperperpendicularly to the staff lines in vertical steps of a length equalto one half of the distance of the staff lines from each other, and atleast one pair of types for printing grouping lines, each type of saidpair of types having a hook character thereon extending over onehorizontal shifting step and havin a slope corresponding to one half ofa vertical shifting step, the hook characters being arranged inpositions differing by one half of a vertical shifting step for printinga continuous coherent hook extending over two horizontal shifting stepsand one vertical shifting step upon direct successive single printingsof the two types.

HUGO SCHULER.

